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(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet I.

H. M. NEER. v ELECTRIC. CARRIER APPARATUS.

No. 578,939.. Patented Mar. 16,1897.

QX) ZZZ% 1 (No Model.) 6 sheets-sheet 2 H. M. NEER. v ELECTRIC CARRIERAPPARATUS. No, 578,939. Patented Mar. 16, 1897.

(No Model.) 6\ Sheets-Sheet 3.

H. M. NEER. ELECTRIC CARRIER. APPARATUS.

0. 578,939.- Patented Mar. 16, 1897.

6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

, H. M. NEER. ELECTRIC CARRIER APPARATUS.

No. 578,939. A Patented Mar 1Q, 1897.

(No Model.) 6 SheetsSheet 5.

v H. M. NEBR. ELECTRIC CARRIER APPARATUS;

Patanted Mar, 16, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT rricn.

HARRY M. NEER, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO 0. S. KELLY, OF

- SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC CARRIER APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,939, dated March16, 1897. Application filed Jifly 25, 1896. Serial No. 600,560. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY M. NEER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric CarrierApparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electric carrier apparatus; andit especially relates to improvements on the devices shown and describedin my prior patent, No. 544,002, dated August 6, 1895.

My invention consists in the constructions and combinations of partshereinafter described, and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic viewillustrating the circuits and track of my improved carrier. Fig. 2 is aperspective view showing the arrangement of the receiving or terminalstation. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the carrier-receptacles.Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively an elevation and plan showing a sendingor way station. Figs. .5 to 9, inclusive, are detail views ofsome of theparts of the same. Figs. 10 and 11 are perspective views of a portion ofthe motor car orcarrier. Fig. 12 is aperspective showing portions of thesame with modifications. Fig. 13 is a sectional view of the motor shownin Fig. 12.

Like parts are represented by similar letters of reference in theseveral views.

In the drawings, and with particular reference to Fig. 1, ct representsa receiving or what may be termed a terminal station. a, a and a aresending or way stations. If the device is to be used as a store-serviceapparatus, then the station at will be the wrappers or cashiers station,and ct a a substations for the clerks or departments.

In my carrier system a circular track is preferably employed, and one ormore carriers are adapted to run thereon and travel ontirely around saidtrack, so as to pass each station. Means are provided by which hasketsor receptaclesplaced at one station are received or deposited, as thecase may be, by

or from the carrier; and this invention relates.

more particularly to the means for automatically supplying thereceptacles to the moving carriers or discharging them therefrom withoutstopping the said carriers.

The track I), which may be of any suitable construction, is adapted toreceive and support the motor-car c, which is provided with suitabletrack-wheels c, which are preferably grooved to fit the track-rails, andoppositelyarranged auxiliary wheels 0 which run under the rails and holdthe car firmly in position. The car is substantially nothing more than askeleton frame, which is provided at the bottom with two longitudinalsupportingrails 0 to which are secured the motors c c, which areconnected by suitable gearing to the track-wheels c. The rails c arepreferably beveled or pointed at one end, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12,and are provided with pivoted pawls c at one end, which operate bygravity, and at the other end with pivoted latches 0 which are operatedby a camlever c At each substation there is a vertical support or guide(1, on which is adapted to travel a U-shaped frame d, to which isattached one end of a flexible cord or cable 61 the other end beingconnected to a drum d on the end of an armature-shaft of an electricmotor d.

The track I) is supplied with conductors Z) and biwith which suitablecollectors b and I) (see Fig. 5) on the carrier contact to furnishcurrent for the motors.

At suitable intervals in the track and adjacent to the stations I employa third conductor b normally inactive, but adapted, as the carrierpasses the same, to be electrically 8 5 connected with the positive wireb by the collector b which travels on said positive Wire. From thisauxiliary conductor 19 a wire or other connection 6 extends to the motor01 and from said motor a suitable connection 0 b extends through aswitch 19 to the negative conductor 6 The switch b is preferablyprovided with a movable lever b adapted to move against a contact-pointb by the operation of a hand connection o which leads to the 5 counteror other convenient point for the operator. The switch-lever b isprovided with a spring-latch Z2 adapted, as the lever b is drawndownwardly, to retain said lever and hold it in contact with the point12 and thus IOO establish an electric circuit from the auxiliaryconductor 12 through the motor to the negative conductor b If a carshould pass now under these circumstances, a connection will beestablished by the collector 19 between the conductor 1) and theauxiliary conductor 11 thus bringing the motor (1 in circuit with themain conductors, causing the same to operate so as to wind up the cordor cable 61 and thus elevate the U -shaped frame cl. This frame 61' isprovided with a projecting finger (1 adapted, as the frame is elevated,to contact with the switch-lever b and force the same out of contactwith the point I), the spring-latch 79 being of such construction as toyield under pressure and permit the operation of the switch-lever. Theframe cl is thus elevated, and means are provided for retaining it in anelevated position, which may be described as follows:

' Pivoted to the guide or support at is a latch d, the upper end ofwhich is connected by a link d to a swinging lever d pivoted in the lineof travel of the motor-car. As the supporting-frame d is elevated thelatch d is adapted to engage and retain the same. Adjacent to thepivoted latch d is an auxiliary latch 61 also adapted to engage theframe (1, but at a different point and after the same has been releasedby the latch d in the manner hereinafter more fully described.

The supporting-frame d is adapted to receive the receptacles e, whichare to be supplied to the moving car. These receptacles each havelaterally extending projections 6, adapted to rest on the sides of theframe d, and upwardly-extending fingers e hav-' ing thereonhorizontally-arranged rollers 6 adapted to be engaged by the rails c ofthe moving car, so as to be supported thereon.

It should be stated that the frame d has at the top supporting-rails (Zon which the baskets or receptacles are adapted to rest, these railseach having near one end a stoplug d and at the opposite end a pivotedlatch d Pivoted to the yoke or frame (1, on one side thereof, is abell-crank lever 61 one end of which is adapted, when the yoke or frameis raised, to contact with the end of the latch d and the other end tocontact with the projection 6 on the receptacle when said receptacle isplaced on the rails 01 of said yoke or frame, the construction beingsuch that when a receptacle is placed on said yoke or frame and,

the frame elevated to its position in proximity to the track-rails thelatch d will be moved and held out of contact with said yoke or frame bythe bell-crank lever d Each car is provided with a projection 0 adapted,as the car passes a station, to contact with the lever 01 so as to movesaid lever laterally and thus move the pivoted latch cl until itdisengages the supporting yoke or frame d. Prior to the time that thelug a on the car strikes the lever 01 at the station the beveled ends ofthe rails 0 have entered under the rollers e on the receptacle which issupported on said yoke or frame. The latch d being operated when in thisposition, causes the frame (1 to drop, thus withdrawing said frame fromthe receptacle e, so that said receptacle becomes supported on the railsof the car, and the stop-lug (Z is withdrawn therefrom, permitting thereceptacle to pass onward with the car. As the receptacle 6 is releasedfrom the frame d the bell-crank lever (Z releases the latch 61 and theframe (1 is caught by said latch and retained in this position a shortdis tance below the position which it previously occupied. The basket orreceptacle is thus transferred from the supporting-frame at the stationto the traveling car and travels with it until it reaches the terminalor receiving station, which will now be described, particular referencebeing had to Fig. 2.

At the terminal station there is preferably provided a counter or tablef, which is supported on a suitable framework, in which are tracks orways f. These tracks or ways are adapted to support a traveling frame fhav ing at one end supporting-railsf and at the other end a platform fwhich is adapted, as the frame is moved laterally, to slide under thecounteror table f. There is connected to a lug or projection f on theframe or table f a flexible cord or cable f one end of which passesaround a drum f on the armatureshaft of a motor f, the opposite endpassing in a similar manner, but in the opposite direction, around. adrum f on a motor f These respective motors are connected by suitableconnections f and f to the main and auxiliary conductors b and b in thesame manner as described for the substation, the respective motors beingconnected to the main and auxiliary conductors on opposite sides of thereceiving-station, so that each time a car passes by thereceiving-station the motors are alternately charged, and by theirrotation cause the frame f to travel laterally on the tracks or ways f.When moved outwardly from the counter f, the frame f stands substantially under the track I), with the rails f in line withthe-projections e of the receptacle e, which is carried by said car.

There is supported near one end of the rails f and on the track 12 aU-shaped frame g, the extremities of which are formed with sleeves g,through which are extended the extremities of a movable yoke 9 This yokeg passes at its upper end through the perforated extremity of abifurcated lever 9 pivoted at one end to a suitable supportingstandard galso supported on the track I), and is provided with alaterally-projecting pin 9 which operates in a slotted opening g in theend of a pivoted lever g on the frame 9, which lever is connected by alink 9 to a bell-crank cam-lever g", pivoted to said track in proximityto said yoke. The pivoted lever g is provided with a projection g whichstands slightly above the track I).

and in line with the projection on the camlever 9 The car is providedwith a camway 0 adapted, as the car passes under the frame g, to contactsuccessively with the levers g and 9 The first operation rotates thelever 9 so as to raise the yoke 9 through the sleeves g until the pin ghas engaged in the top of the slotted opening which is recessed toengage and hold said pin. The lower ends of. the yoke g are thuselevated above the rails f of the traveling frame f and held in thisposition until the motor passes the cam'lever 9 which is tripped by thecamtrack 0 moving the lever 9 so as to disengage the pin 9 on theswinging lever 9 thus lowering the ends of the yoke g to their normalpositions.

Secured to the track I) at a point above the platform f of the travelingframe, when said frame is in its operative position, is a camtrack 9adapted, as the car passes, to engage the end of the lever c on the car,and thus elevate the pivoted latches c on the rear end of the rails c ofsaid car. I

It should be stated that the platform f is depressed below the rails fof the traveling frame f to a distance slightly more than the depth ofthe traveling receptacle, said plat form having atone end and one sideguardrails f f The operation of this mechanism is as follows: As the carapproaches the receivingstation the motor f is caused to operate, thusmoving the traveling frame f to aposition under the track. As the carreaches the cam-track g the latches a are raised, the receptacle comesin contact with the rail f and is dropped onto the platform f with oneend resting on the table or counter f. If

there are any receptacles to be returned by the car, they are placed onthe rails f being retained thereon by the downwardly-projecting ends ofthe yoke 9 until the ends of the rails 0 pass under the projections 6 atwhich ill iN lil i :1 1

vated by a cam-track 01, secured to the track I), and the projections d,engaging with the projections on the receptacle, will discharge thereceptacle from the rails 0 onto the frame-rails d As the receptacle isdropped from the car the projection e engages the bellcrank lever dwhich releases the latch d and allows the frame d to descend, thusbringing the receptacle to the counter from which it started.

As before stated, the projections e on the receptacles eare preferablyprovided with antifriction-rollers e Similar rollers are also preferablyarranged vertically on each side of the projections c to engage thesides of the rails c on the car and thus prevent lateral movement of thereceptacle. If desired, simi lar rollers 6 may be provided below therollers e to contact with the bottom of said rails, thus holding thereceptacles against unnecessary movement on the rails and causing themto move from end to end of said rails in a steady and uniform manner.

It is understood that the receptacles which are discharged at thereceiving-station will be returned therefrom in the order in which theyare received, so that no matter how many receptacles may be on a car atone time they will always be discharged at the proper station and in theorder in which they are received from said stations.

In Fig. 12 I have shown a modification of the parts in use at thesubstations for delivering the receptacles to and from the carriers. Inthis modification I employ constructions similar to those at thereceiving-station for retaining the receptacles on the support ing-standuntil the carrier has engaged the same. The reciprocating U-shaped frametime the yoke g' 1s withdrawn by the camtrack 0 on the car coming incontact with the lever 9 as before described, the yoke being returned toits normal position as the car passes on by the contact of saidcam-track c with the cam-lever 9 At the same or about the same time anelectrical connection is established by the moving car between the mainconductors and the motor f which causes the traveling frame f to movelaterally, so as to deposit any receptacles which have been dischargedfrom the car onto the counterf. It will thus be seen that the operationof supplying and discharging the receptacles to and from the moving caris thoroughly automatic, the operator simply placing them on therespective frames at the stations and making the necessary connections.The receptacles are returned to the substations in a similar manner.Each substation has projections 61, which stand in line with thetraveling receptacles. These projections and corresponding projections e011 the receptacles are varied laterallyor vertically, as the case maybe, so that said projections will contact with only such receptacles asbelong to that station. The moving car passing a substation will havethe latches 0 thereof eleg has pro ections d, which normally en gagewith the projec'tions e on the baskets or re ceptacles, the stopprojections d on the supporting'rails of the frame (1 being dispensedwith. The receptacle is thus held on the rail (Z until the projection cengages with the roller 9 as before described, when the said receptacleis released and passes on with the carrier. The receptacle is dischargedfrom the carrier and returned to its normal position by stop projections9 and the other mechanism heretofore described in connection with saidsubstation.

It will be seen from the construction above described that I provide acarrier apparatus in which the baskets or receptacles are auto-- thisframe there is connected two independent trucks, each formed by aframe-support o carrying at each end an independent motor, the armature72, of which is connected directly to a traclowheel h, which runs on thetrack b. The front trucks are pivoted to the cross-bar 0 by aball-and-socket connection 0 as shown in Fig. 11, the rear trucks beingconnected to said frame by a pin 0 which passes through a suitableopening 0 1* in the other bar 0 By this construction each of thetrack-wheels is independent from each of the other track-Wheels and isoperated independently by an independent motor, which motor is connecteddirectly to the track-wheel and stands in line therewith, so that thecenter of gravity of the motor is supported above the track-rails, whilethe center of gravity of the frame and the receptacles carried therebyis supported below the track-rails, thus equalizin g the weight of themotor-car and preventing oscillation thereof in turning curves.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. Ina carrier apparatus, acarrier-track and working conductors and substations along the line ofsaid track, stationary auxiliary conductors adjacent to and parallelwith said Workin g conductors, and motors at said substations adapted tobe thrown in circuit'vvith said auxiliary conductors, a traveling car onsaid track, and means on said car for connecting said auxiliaryconductors with the working conductors, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a track and a car operating thereon, mainconductors adjacent to said track, electric motors on said car suppliedfrom said main conductors, substations along said track andreceptacle-supportin g devices at said substations, motors at saidsubstations for operating said supporting devices, and means, asdescribed, for throwing said station-motors into circuit with the mainconductors by the operation of said car, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a track and a car thereon, main conductorsadjacent to said track, an electric motor or motors on said car suppliedfrom said conductors, substations having supporting devices for carryingreceptacles adapted to be engaged by said car, and traveling means atsaid substations for moving said receptacles into and out of position tobe engaged by said car, and motors at said substations to operate saidtraveling devices, and branch circuits including said stationmotorsadapted to be connected to the main conductors by the operation of thetraveling determined position, substantially as specified.

5. The combination with'a track and an electric carrier thereon, atraveling frame adapted to support receptacles to be engaged by saidcarrier, a motor for operating said traveling frame, and means,substantially as described, for operating said motor whenever the carhasreached a predetermined position, substantially as specified.

6. The combination with a traveling frame and a receptacle thereon, atrack having a traveling car thereon adapted to engage the receptacle onsaid frame, an electric motor for operating said traveling frame, saidmotor being in a normally open circuit including a switch as described,and means in said circuit for establishing an electrical. connectionthrough said motor by the operation of the traveling car when saidswitch has been closed, substantially as specified.

7. The combination with the traveling car and its supporting-track, of asubstation having a traveling frame, supporting-rails on said frame forsupporting receptacles to be engaged by said car, detachable supportsfor supporting said frame in proximity to the line of travel of saidcar, and means on said car for detaching said supports when the car hasengaged the receptacle, substantially as specified.

8. The combination with a track and a car adapted to travel thereon, anda receptacle carried by said car, a substation having a traveling frameand detachable supports for said frame, one of said supports beingadapted to be operated by the moving car to release said frame to causeit to move a limited distance, and the other support being adapted to beoperated by a receptacle on said frame to completely release said frameand cause it to move with said receptacle, substantially as specified.

9. The combination with'the track, a car thereon, and a receptacleadapted to be carried by said car, a substation adjacent to said track,a traveling frame at said substation, an electric motor arranged in acircuit adapted to be closed by said car to move said traveling frame,and two independent supports for said frame adapted to support the sameWhen moved by said motor, means on said car for detaching one of saidsupports to produce a limited movement of said frame, and anintermediate device adapted to be operated by said receptacle to detachthe second support from said frame and permit the same to move with saidreceptacle, substantially as specified.

10. The combination with the track, a car thereon, a receptacle adaptedto be carried by said car, and a traveling frame adapted to support saidreceptacle adjacent to the line of travel of said car, stops on saidframe to prevent a movement of said receptacle, and two independentdetachable supports for said frame, one of said supports having meansoperated by said car to detach the same to permit the frame to beengaged by the second support when the receptacle is engaged by saidcar, and means connected with said second support for detaching the sameto permit the frame to move with saidreceptacle when said receptacle isdeposited from said car on said frame, substantially as specified.

11. The combination with the track, a car moving thereon, electricmotors on said car, and a main circuit for supplying current to saidmotors, a station having a moving frame, and a motor for operating saidframe, and auxiliary conductors connected to said station-motor adaptedby the operation of said car to be brought in circuit with said mainconductors, two independent detachable supports for said frame, one ofsaid supports bein g adapted to be operated by said car to produce alimited movement of said frame, and the other support being adapted tobe operated by the receptacle deposited from said car onto said frame,substantially as specified.

' 12. The combinationwith the track and a car thereon, a receptacleadapted to be carried by said car, an electric motor or motors on saidcar, and a main circuit for supplying current to said motor or motors, atraveling frame adjacent to said track, amotor adapted to operate saidframe, and an auxiliary circuit including said motor, and means forconnecting said auxiliary circuit to the main conductors by theoperation of said car, two independent supports for said travelingframe, one of said supports being adapted to be detached by said car,and the other support be ing adapted to be detached by the receptacledischarged from said car, and a switch in said auxiliary circuit,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

13. The combination with a track, a motorcar thereon, and a main circuitfor furnishing electric current to said motor, a series of substationsalong the line of said track, and receptacles at said substationsadapted to be engaged by said car, and a central or receiving stationhaving a traveling frame, and inclependent motors for operating saidframe in opposite directions, and auxiliary circuits from said motorsextending to points on said track 011 opposite sides of saidreceiving-station, and means for alternately closing said auxiliarycircuits as the car approaches and leaves said station to cause saidframe to move in opposite directions at said station, substantially asspecified.

14:. The combination witha track and a car thereon, substations arrangedadjacent to said track, and a central or receiving station, a travelingframe atsaid receiving-station, said frame being divided into two parts,one part being adapted to receive receptacles from said traveling car,and the other part being adapted to support receptacles to be receivedby said car, removable stops supported adjacent to said trackand adaptedto retain the receptacles on said frame, and movable devices connectedwith said stops to cause said stops to be alternately moved away fromand toward said traveling frame as the car passes said central station,substantially as specified.

15. The combination with a track and a car moving thereon,receptaclesadapted to be carried by said car, and a frame for supporting saidreceptacles, movable stops arranged adjacent to said track and adaptedto engage said receptacles on said frame, and operating devices adjacentto said track adapted to be successively moved by said car to withdrawand return said stops as said car passes said station, and means on saidcar for engaging said receptacles, substantially as specified.

16. The combination with a moving car havinglongitudinalsupporting-rails, and a receptacle adapted to be supportedin proximity to the line of travel of said car and having engagingprojections to engage said rails, said car being provided withfrictionrollers adapted to engage on oppositesides and on top of saidrails to permit said receptacle to move from end to end of saidsupporting-rails, substantially as specified.

17. The combination with a moving car and receptacles carried thereon, amovable frame arranged adjacent to the line of travel of said car, and astationary table adjacent to said frame, said frame being adapted tocontact with said receptacles to cause the same to fall partly on saidtable and partly on said frame, and means, substantially as described,for moving said frame to cause the receptacles to be deposited on saidtable, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

18. A motor-car consisting of independent trucks, and a frame pivoted toand depending from said trucks, independent motors at each end of saidtrucks, and track-wheels on the armature-shafts of each of said motors,and a track below said armature-shafts and wheels and on which saidwheels run and on which the car is supported whereby the center ofgravity of said motors is carried above the track-rails and the centerof gravity of themotor-frame and the load below the trackrails,substantially as specified.

19. A motor-car consisting of independent trucks, and a frame pivoted toand depending from said trucks, independent motors at each end of saidtrucks, and a track arranged between said motors, and track-wheels onthe inner ends of the armature-shafts of said motors above and adaptedto rest on said track so that the center of gravity of the motors iscarried above the track-rails and the center of gravity of themotor-frame below the track-rails, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of July,A. D. 1896.

I HARRY M. NEER.

Witnesses:

CHAs. I. WELOH, G. M. GRIDLEY.

